REPRODUCTION OF TILAPIA NILOTICA L

REPRODUCTION OF T1LAPIA NILOT1G~1 L.
By
S. EL-ZARKA, A.H. SHAHEEN
Institute of Oceanographynand Fisheries Alexandria
and
A.A. EL-ALEEM
Head of the Department of Oceanography

Faculty of Science, University qf Alexandria

INTRODUCTION
Tilapia is the most important fre~hwat~r fish in U.A.R. Its catch was estimated to be about 70% of the total fisl] pnjducti(Jn (If the country El-Zarka 1956.
The economical importance of its fislJery make it desirable to have information
on its natural history.
Information about certain a;;pects of reproduction and estimtes of various
stages of development of a fisb are essential for the plannir g of fishery management. Detailed studies on brerdiIlg, maturity, spawning ard sex ratio of
Tilapia zilli Gerv. were completed EI-Zarka 1956, 1962; Imam and Hashim
1960. In the present study particular attention was paid to maturity, spawning,
length and age at maturity, and sex ratio for another Tilapid species that is Tilapia
nilotica L. This is a continuation of the biologicz.l study of this fish in Lake,
Maruit.